There is no small demand among residents of the Apgujeong reconstruction complexes looking for a place to stay until demolition. Some plan to move after gifting their Hannam-dong homes to their children, and there are also cases of choosing this instead of an apartment to enjoy hotel-style residential services without the burden of holding taxes.High-end senior residence Soyohanam by Parnas official
The gallery (model home) for the high-end senior residence Soyohannam by Parnas in Itaewon-dong, Seoul, visited on the 27th. Applications closed the previous day, but visitors kept coming. People had to wait about 10–20 minutes past their reservation time. A gallery official said, "Before applications, visitors never stopped coming—I nearly lost my voice," adding, "It's actually quieter now."
Upon entering the 99㎡ unit on basement level two, the first thing that stood out was the double-door elevator. Taking the residents-only elevator connects directly to each unit's private anteroom. In front of the entrance, a butler-only cabinet—one assigned per six to seven households—was installed. It allows for contactless handling of laundry, parcel delivery, food delivery, and cleaning requests.
Senior-friendly design was reflected throughout the dwelling. To accommodate wheelchair mobility, interior level differences were eliminated, and all doors were installed as sliding doors. Radar-based sensors were installed in the bedroom and living room ceilings to detect not only residents' heart rate and breathing status but also falls. Safety grab bars, SOS emergency bells, an entry bench, and low-level corridor sensor lights also stood out.
Soyohannam by Parnas is a luxury senior residence being built on the north site of Nine One Hannam in Hannam-dong, with five basement floors and seven above-ground floors across three buildings and 111 households. By net floor area, it consists of ▲ 99㎡A, 65 households ▲ 99㎡B, 16 households ▲ 99㎡C, 24 households ▲ 108㎡, 6 households. Parnas Hotel will provide residential services, with Haeahn Architecture (design), POSCO E&C (construction), and Jongkim Design Studio (interior) participating. Cha Healthcare will handle healthcare services, and physicians and nursing staff are slated to be on-site.
In applications held on the 25th–26th, the average competition rate was 13.4 to 1. In particular, the 108㎡ large-type units were the most popular, with a 56.5 to 1 competition rate. An industry official said, "Considering the recent real estate market mood, this is a rather exceptional box office showing." Winners were selected by drawing on the day, and contracts will be signed on the 28th–30th. Contract terms are a 10% deposit, 50% interim payment, and 40% balance.
The area around the site was, literally, the "most luxurious residential belt in Korea." Right next door is Nine One Hannam, known for celebrity residences, and across the street sits the ultra-high-end apartment Hannam The Hill. Behind it, Namsan, Seoul Tower, and Grand Hyatt Seoul came into full view. Cultural and medical infrastructure such as Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Leeum Museum of Art, and Blue Square were also nearby.
To move in here, a deposit effectively equal to the price of an apartment in Gangnam is required. The deposit for a 99㎡ unit is 4.859 billion–5.458 billion won, and for a 108㎡ unit it is 5.266 billion–6.067 billion won. On top of that, about 2.6 million won in monthly rent must be paid separately. Monthly living expenses, including meals, healthcare, and community costs, are about 7.8 million won for one person and about 8.9 million won for two residents.
This is overwhelmingly higher even compared with existing high-end senior dwellings. The Classic 500 in Gwangjin District, which has had a waiting list since opening in 2009, requires a deposit of about 900 million won and a monthly fee of around 5 million won. VL Le West in Gangseo District, which opened last year, also requires a deposit of up to 2.2 billion won for the jeonse-type plan. Wirye Symphonia in Songpa District has a deposit of about 450 million–880 million won.
Soyohannam by Parnas is also pursuing integrated units that consolidate some units for customers seeking larger spaces. It would open walls in some households on the sixth and seventh floors to connect two units into one. A design change has reportedly been filed for this.
A Soyohannam by Parnas official said, "We plan to secure stability for the deposits through setting up jeonse rights and taking out guarantee insurance," adding, "We will recruit additional tenants for remaining units on a first-come, first-served basis reflecting waiting demand."